ATLANTIC, Iowa – Since he was a youngster, riding bulls has been part of Cord McCoy’s life.
From the time he mounted a calf on the family’s ranch in southeastern Oklahoma to the 91-point ride he scored in Cheyenne, Wyo., in July, the sport is just part of who McCoy is. He makes his living by wrapping his hand to the backs of bucking beasts, and for several years has been one of the fan favorites in the Professional Bull Riders tour.
He’s also lending his name to the Cord McCoy PBR Challenge, set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Cass County Fairgrounds in Atlantic. Tickets for the event, which will feature some of the biggest names in bull riding, go on sale at noon Thursday, Aug. 5, at the fairgrounds during the Cass County Fair.
“I’m pretty excited about the bull riding,” said McCoy, who will be at the fair Thursday to sign autographs while the tickets are being sold. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time in Atlantic, and the people are great. It’ll be fun to have this event in Atlantic.”
McCoy’s become quite familiar with the region since he began dating a local girl. In fact, his father, Denny, grew up in southwest Iowa, so there are plenty of ties to the area for the Oklahoma cowboy. The fact that he and Sara Best of nearby Brayton are getting married in Atlantic in the fall just further cements his Iowa status.
While he’s been a fan favorite in rodeo and bull riding for a number of years, his popularity went through the roof in the spring when he and his brother, Jet, finished second during the 12 broadcasts of the CBS-TV reality series “The Amazing Race.” The McCoys’ down-home approach to the race’s challenges became the talk of reality-TV blogs and regular features on the show.
The ticket sales for the Cord McCoy PBR Challenge will kick off during the Cass County Fair, but organizers are expecting a sellout of the 3,500-seat arena.
“The great thing about being in Atlantic for the start of ticket sales is that I’ll get to visit with fans who are buying the tickets to see the bull riding,” said McCoy, who is competing all over the country in hopes of qualifying for his fifth straight PBR World Finals. “It’s great to have my name associated with an event like this, in an area where the fans are so great and the people work so hard for what they get.”
Just him being associated with the event is a huge drawing card for bull riding fans in southwest Iowa. But McCoy also is offering a strong marketing opportunity for businesses and organizations interested in working with him and his association with the Cord McCoy PBR Challenge. Anyone interested in a specialized sponsorship through McCoy can contact Ted Harbin at (660) 254-1900 or imteditor@gmail.com. More information can be found at http://CordMcCoyChallenge.com.
“This will be a great show,” McCoy said. “I’m excited for everyone in southwest Iowa to see what this level of bull riding brings to town. I think they’ll love it.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY WATSON
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